Too Close for Comfort
by The Fish Meister
Summary: Oliver and Felicity find themselves a little too close for comfort when they awaken pressed together in the trunk of a car.
1. A Rude Awakening

It had been a quiet morning.

Felicity had been in the office since eight quietly working at her desk by Oliver's office. She raised a large cup of tea to her lips without taking her eyes away from the screen in front of her and grimaced as the now cold liquid washed over her tongue.

"Ew gross, gross, gross!" she exclaimed.

She shivered returning the offending mug to her desk and reached for her phone, the screen lit up and her eyes widened as she saw that it was half past twelve already.

Still recovering from her encounter with the demon tea she slipped her phone into her bag and stretched, it felt amazing. Her white blouse ruffled and was pulled free from her tight dark blue pencil skirt which hugged her figure nicely. As she rose from her seat she returned the blouse to its rightful place and grabbed her jacket.

"We need to get a bell or something around here to prevent hard working Executive Assistants from starving to death in this glass prison of lies!" She mumbled, not as quietly as she had thought.

"…and now I'm talking to myself like a crazy person, way to go Felicity" she sighed.

As she headed for the elevator she contemplated lunch and the work she still had to complete before her day ended and she could return to the comfort of her chair in the Foundry. As she walked she turned to glance at Oliver's desk, she'd seen him briefly this morning before he headed to a meeting and he'd looked exhausted.

Her brow furrowed as she contemplated ways she could ease his burden or even convince him to take a night off. Lunch. She should bring him lunch, something indulgent but not too sweet, it wouldn't matter if he ate something sweet because he kept himself in pretty good shape, which she was aware of in a completely appropriate boss-assistant way, but he had never struck her as a guy with a sweet tooth.

As the elevator took her down to the parking lot an image assaulted her brain.

_Oliver's rippling muscles flexing as she moved her hand over them, his hand on her waist, her shuddering as his body moved closer, his lips…_

"Whoa, where the hell did that come from!" she gasped…out loud, reaffirming her status as the crazy woman who asked empty elevators questions before lunch.

She pushed the image from her mind feeling the all too familiar pang of longing in her chest, which usually announced itself whenever her mind turned to him. Her face had turned crimson and she needed to get out of the building and clear her head before anyone asked her the reason for her discomfort.

The elevator doors opened and Felicity made her way towards her little car, mind still full of Oliver. Her hands rummaging through her purse searching for her keys, her fingers clasped them finally and she let out a sigh of relief. She hadn't locked them in her car again.

* * *

"_You did what?" Diggle chuckled down the phone, she could hear the grin on his stupid face as she asked him to come and break into her car so she could get home that night. _

"_Please help me out here Dig, I do not appreciate you laughing at me…it's FREEZING OUT HERE!" She had snapped in her 'loud' voice. Of course 5 minutes later none other than CEO Oliver Queen had come down to see for himself after being tipped off by Dig, who was going to mysteriously lose everything on his computer later that same day, completely coincidental of course. _

"_Need a hand?" Oliver asked strolling up to her gleefully. Felicity shot him a death glare which would have sent chills down the spine of any man._

_He had managed to unlock the door with little trouble after sufficient gloating and mocking but they never let her forget it._

* * *

As she reached for her door she became aware of a presence behind her, she swung her head around fight or flight kicking in. She came face to face with her reflection in a van window and sighed.

"I need a night off, all this danger is turning me into a nervous wreck" She sighed, glancing into the backseat of her car; A habit which she had developed ever since a dying Oliver had surprised her there, an experience she didn't want to repeat.

The sound of the van door sliding open startled her, but not as much as the hand which came around her neck and pulled her in. She cried out and struggled feeling a pinch in her neck her eyes widened and darkness began to pull her under. The persons grip loosened as she lost control of her limbs and her vision faded out.

* * *

Oliver sighed as he left his morning meeting which had gone on much longer than anticipated leaving him frustrated and eager to catch up on the work which had been cluttering his desk for days.

He felt slightly disappointed to find Felicity absent upon his return; she always managed to lift his mood, especially on dull days such as this. He smiled to himself as he remembered her babbling on this morning about the need for a wider variety of tea bags in the building. She was so wonderfully amusing, he couldn't imagine the dullness of his days had she not reluctantly agreed to be his Executive Assistant.

Oliver sat behind his desk and groaned eyeing the paperwork which had been deposited, and swiftly neglected, by him over the past few days. 'Looks like lunch is out' he thought to himself as he began.

He lost himself in the sea of paperwork set before him and hardly noticed the time snake by, tension building in his shoulders by the minute. He looked up to find that 3 hours had passed and Felicity had yet to return from, what he assumed was her lunch break. Oliver's eyebrows creased as he double checked the time and pulled out his phone.

Where are you?He typed swiftly, he tried to quell the feeling of unease which was settling in his gut, an unfortunate side effect of the way they spent their nights. After 5 minutes of inactivity he called Diggle.

"Hey Dig, have you seen Felicity this afternoon? She isn't answering her phone." Oliver tried to remain in control and stem the flow of violent scenarios rushing through his head.

"Haven't seen her man, but I'll see if I can trace her". The sound of keys tapping was audible as Diggle attempted to trace their young friend from the Foundry.

"Nothing." He sighed as the software failed to reveal her whereabouts.

"Her tracer has been deactivated, maybe she needed some time alone man." Diggle suggested, trying to convince himself as much as Oliver.

"Keep me posted." Oliver ordered rising from his desk and abandoning work which had occupied most of his afternoon. He cursed and tried calling her again, straight to voicemail.

He almost broke the elevator button hitting it so hard and couldn't stand still as it wound its way down, as he stepped out into the parking lot he dialled her again, his eyes scanned the lot until he clocked her car.

"Shit" he exclaimed, the chances of foul play were rising by the second. Olivers stomach lurched as he heard a familiar sound, Felicity's cell. He darted towards her car and found her purse on the ground next to it, keys by the door. Oliver processed the sight before him, panic setting in; he bent down to scoop up the purse when a force struck the back of his head. He lurched forward, stars dancing across his vision and face making contact with the cement floor. He heard a crunch as his weight crushed Felicity's purse, no doubt damaging whatever it contained.

He felt a pinch and his blurry world turned dark.

* * *

Felicity awoke with a throbbing headache, her limbs were stiff and her legs were twisted at an awkward angle. There was a crushing weight on top of her and she couldn't see a thing.

"What the hell" she muttered, barely above a whisper as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. How did she get here? Why couldn't she move? Was she dead?

'I am gonna be so mad if this is the afterlife' she thought to herself. Suddenly she recalled the parking lot and the van. Panic rose and she began to squirm and reach out; she was in a small space, a _very_ small space. Her hand moved down and made contact with…fur?

No, hair. It was a person, a man judging by the size, there was a man crushing her chest.

Felicity Smoak was not one to remain calm when being held by a psycho killer. Tears began to stream down her face and into her hair, stemming from frustration more than panic, there was no way she would be able to free herself if she was pinned down like this.

"Hel…hello?" She sobbed.

She felt movement and the man groaned turning his head and shifting. Felicity gasped, she would know that groan anywhere, she had imagined it countless times under _very_ different circumstances. Oliver. Getting control of her thoughts Felicity tried to awaken him again.

"Oliver? Can you hear me?" His head was resting on her chest, his legs bent awkwardly pressing hers into an unnatural pose, she could feel his breathing against her stomach, it was peaceful, if you can count being trapped under a man in a confined space peaceful, god she was messed up.

"Oliver?" she felt him go tense as he woke, obviously ailed by the same confusion she had felt upon waking in this tiny prison.

"Felicity?" He mumbled voice thick with sleep. God she wished they weren't in a life or death situation right now.

Oliver opened his eyes and took in his surroundings; it took all of 3 seconds before he became alert. He was in a small space…it felt like the trunk of a car, and Felicity Smoak was underneath him.

"Felicity are you hurt?" he lifted his head as far as he could in the limited space and attempted to find her face in the darkness. His hand found hers and he squeezed reassuringly while the other rested against her cheek.

"Just cramped" she replied, he could feel the moisture left by her tears and he moved his thumb gently and rhythmically against her skin.

He tried to lift himself off of her in order to allow her more room and relieve her of the pressure of his bulky frame but succeeded only in drawing a gasp of pain from her as he twisted her legs even more out of shape.

"I'm sorry" he froze, conscious of her tiny body and the damage he could do if he wasn't careful.

If Felicity had been able to see Oliver's eyes she would have seen the storm which had settled within them, but she didn't need to _see_ Oliver to know the rage that was filling inside him, she could _feel_ him. Every. Single. Inch. His fists clenched and his body tensed, trying to make her as comfortable as possible. She felt his breath on her face and her heart fluttered, accompanied by the usual pang of longing and guilt which kept her grounded…usually.

"You know it would be a lot nicer if you'd relax…well not nicer…I mean you are nice but this isn't nice…I mean this would be nice if we weren't trapped in…" Olivers rumbling chuckle ended her ramble and she felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment. Oliver relaxed his muscles and his body moulded to hers.

Felicity's breath caught in her throat as she pictured the body that was pressed against her, Oliver chuckled again and she realised that she had moaned out loud, her hands pressed to her face in horror. Rather than attempting to find a way out of the trunk they were locked in, she was lusting after Oliver.

This is going to be a loooong night…or day…whatever it was.


	2. Careless Whisper

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Oliver shifted over Felicity, his lips brushed against her cheek ever so lightly as his hands felt along the walls of their dark prison. Felicity's heart stopped, literally stopped beating as she took in his smell and his warmth and the feeling of his soft lips contrasting the prickle of his facial hair against her cheek.

She closed her eyes and tried not to picture them tangled this way in her bed…or his…his would probably be better…and softer they could roll around and she could feel the pressure of his soft muscles pressing her into the…

"I think…yeah…if we can put enough pressure here we can push the back seats down…if I can just…" Oliver twisted and writhed trying to get a good angle, tearing Felicity from her thoughts.

Felicity gasped as his elbow pressed into her ribs.

"You'd think they'd at least have the curtesy to put me on top of you" she groaned rubbing her side as the brief ache left her.

"Not that I want to be on top of you…I mean right now yes…purely for comfort, I mean why else would I…" she laughed nervously and racked her brain trying to think of something to alleviate the awkwardness she had just cause. If she had been able to see Oliver Queen she would have seen him grin briefly as the mental image she had created passed through his mind.

Felicity's mind wandered from Oliver to the situation they found themselves in; as she did she began to think about oxygen and wondered how long it would last in this tiny space. Panic began to fill her chest the more she considered it.

"Is it getting hot in here or is that just me? It feels…how much air do we have in here? Oh my god I'm gonna be found dead in the trunk of a car under Oliver Queen…if they find us at all…"

Oliver stopped working on their escape plan when he heard how fast she had begun to speak, and breathe. Concern stabbed at him as Felicity began squirming underneath him.

"Felicity calm down" Oliver soothed his hand resting on her head gently smoothing her hair. His face was inches from hers and he radiated warmth.

Her throat closed up, dread washed over her and her breathing became fast as she struggled to take in the oxygen she could feel leeching out of the air. The darkness was suffocating her, her chest was tightening and she was emitting strangled cries in the place of words or sobs.

"Felicity focus on my voice." Oliver soothes, he lifts himself to give her what little space he can and presses her hand to his chest tenderly.

"You're having a panic attack, just focus on me, you are going to be absolutely fine" Olivers voice remained steady and Felicity tried to focus her mess of a mind on the soft beating of his heart. As her breathing slowed she heard Oliver softly exhale and his hand on her head slowed its pace until only his thumb traced her hairline back and forth.

"I'm ok" she breathed what seemed like an age later. Her hand lingered on his shirt above his softly beating heart, her eyes closed and she acquainted herself with its natural rhythm. Oliver placed his hand over hers and his thumb ghosted her knuckles. She felt his heart rate pick up ever so slightly and smiled. The unexpected tenderness of the moment caught her unawares, she considered how in sync they were, how the rhythmic beating of his heart accompanied the symphony of her mind perfectly, her eyes close and she allowed it to play, just for a second.

"We're going to get out of here" he whispered softly, lingering for a moment longer before his hands slid under her back, producing an audible gasp as he shifted her to his right and he slid to the left.

With a little more awkward shifting they now lay horizontally next to one another, Oliver pushed his legs to the back of the car's rear seats, encasing Felicity's left leg between them. Taking a deep breath Oliver pulled back and then kicked; the force jolted the car but had little effect on the seat.

Grumbling he drew back and kicked again, and again, and again until Felicity had motion sickness, she could feel the heat radiating from him as he pounded it. She reached out to stop him from overexerting himself when she heard a heavy clunk from behind her as the seat buckled under his pressure. It gave a little and the darkness which had encapsulated them since their abduction was alleviated, if only a little.

It was unnatural light which seeped through the gap in the seat, a streetlight maybe? Who would abduct them and then just leave them in the street? Felicity took the opportunity to really look at the man she had been pressed against for what had to have been hours. His eyes were stormy with the effort it was taking to destroy the seat behind her and a sheen of sweat had enveloped his brow.

She had to physically restrain her hand to prevent it from wandering over to his cheek, every bone in her body was urging her to touch him, to mould into his chest and…no! Felicity Smoak is level headed woman and does not get swept away by beautiful…strong…slightly sweaty…men.

Olivers efforts continued and the seat bowed to his strength a heavy thud announcing his success.

"Oliver Queen you are my hero." Felicity declared pressing her lips to his forehead before rational thought could prevent her, earning her an affectionate smile from the recipient.

It took them a moment to register what happened next; Felicity writhed and squeezed herself through the newly created gap over the backseat. She had to go legs first her pencil skirt hindering her a great deal, as she thudded into the foot space she realized that Olivers efforts had set the car into motion. Apparently their genius kidnappers had abandoned them on an incline, Felicity fell backwards into the front of the car as it tilted, her shoulder hitting the radio and head the steering wheel, George Michael's 'Careless Whisper' filling the air.

Had the circumstances been different Felicity would have laughed, but as the vehicle they were both trapped in picked up its pace her mind turned to Oliver rather than the saxophone music which had joined them. Her gaze found his and she saw his eyebrows rise in amusement, the addition of rather cheesy music curving the edge of his lips into a smile, it was just like Felicity to make an escape from imprisonment amusing. He pulled himself forward again and found his belt had become snagged on the seat lever next to him. It pulled at his waist and he stopped, the grin on his face being replaced by irritation, his stomach lurched as the car picked up momentum and he looked up taking in the sight of the Starling River hurtling towards them.

"Felicity put on a seatbelt now!" He ordered, as the car came closer and closer to its watery destination. He saw her falter and look at his trapped belt, her first instinct was to help him but she needed to survive the crash to have any chance in the dark waters rapidly coming to meet them.

She reluctantly pulled herself upright and into the front passenger seat, which gave her a front row seat of their descent and her stomach churned in protest. Her hand moved up and grasped the seatbelt, shaking she fastened it around herself and cast a worried glance back to Oliver.

He nodded, relief softening his brow; his eyes met hers, George Michael's voice drowned out in the wake of their gaze, he was certain of one thing, if he didn't make it he wanted to be guided into death by the light in her soft blue eyes.

Their breath hitched simultaneously as the car launched itself off the embankment and upwards just as that oh so smooth saxophone chorus permeated the air. Time stood still for a brief eternity and then they impacted the water. Oliver was secured only by his belt as they landed, his upper body slammed into the side of the car, the traitorous leather biting into his waist, he failed to supress a cry as the sharp pain ripped through him.

Felicity's head was thrown backwards as the water hit, it collided with the headrest and sent her glasses flying across the car, her world becoming suddenly blurry.

There was a moment of stunned silence before she leapt into action.

"Oliver!" She removed her seatbelt and pulled herself towards him, water began pouring into the bottom of the car and the front tilted forward. She shifted him slightly and got to work unbuttoning his belt.

"Never thought I'd be doing this" she stammered panic preventing the embarrassment which would have followed her words. As she slipped it off he was pulled free and she lightly smacked his face to bring him to attention. As he focused on her face it was like a switch had been flipped in his brain, suddenly he was alert and ready to act. Felicity let out an audible sigh, there was no way she could've dragged his bulky frame to the surface, it wouldn't have stopped her from trying though.

Olivers side burned as he pulled himself upright and immediately reached for the door handle, Felicity's hand landed firmly on his wrist.

"It won't open in the water, we need to go out of the window" the car slipped under the surface of the inky water, silencing the radio and leaving them with the alarming sound of water rushing in through the door frames.

The icy water reached Felicity's waist and she breathed in sharply, the cold shocking her system. Oliver kicked the window and cracks snaked through the glass.

"Deep breath" he growled as his foot reconnected. A torrent of icy water spilled into the car pushing them backwards, they hit the other passenger door and the rate at which the car descended increased.

The mind numbing cold which had enveloped Felicity rendered her unable to act, her mind blanked and she started to panic. Oliver grabbed her about the waist and thrust her forward she reached for the door and pulled herself forward and out using the window frame.

She left the car disorientated and cold, a strong current took her, her stubborn limbs refusing to cooperate as she fought her way upwards, lungs burning. When she finally broke the surface spluttering and coughing, she took in her surroundings and searched desperately for a purchase and, more importantly, Oliver. She was met with nothing but blurred shapes in the darkness making her location of either virtually impossible; her glasses were now settled in their watery grave somewhere below.

"Ol…Oliv…" she spluttered searching her blurry surroundings before slipping under again, the icy water and exertion sapping her energy.

* * *

Oliver thrust Felicity forward making sure she was out before he pulled himself after her, the icy water had numbed the pain in his waist but it had also numbed his senses. He focused his mind on three distinct goals to avoid losing himself to panic.

Get to the Surface

Locate Felicity

Get to Shore

As he left the car he pushed himself up from the roof, propelling himself towards the surface, he reached it swiftly taking in a deep breath and taking a moment to assess his surroundings, his first goal successfully achieved.

He scanned the water, aware that he was being carried downstream, he rationalised that Felicity would have been less able to resist the current and would be carried faster due to her size, a factor which would also make her lose heat much more rapidly than himself especially since the water couldn't be more than 60 degrees.

Using the current to carry him thus preserving energy, he surged forward listening and searching for his small friend. Swimming was not his strong suit, in fact he detested it, but being marooned on an island for five years had improved his ability somewhat.

* * *

Felicity wrenched herself to the surface for the third time gasping and spluttering, the cold bit into her hands and they throbbed, her tiny body shuddering violently. She couldn't think straight, somewhere inside she knew what she needed to do but her brain refused to cooperate, it was taking all her energy just to stay afloat.

"Oliver!" She screamed.

"Someone…h…help me!" She managed, her teeth clattering together. Had she been able to, she would have cried. Her feet were kicking but she couldn't feel anything below the knee. At least, for the time being, she was staying afloat. She pulled her arms tightly to herself in an attempt to preserve what little heat remained; she felt the cold permeate right into her centre.

As she floated, on the surface, fear and adrenaline coursing through her, her eyes detected movement just upriver from herself. She couldn't decide whether it was real or imagined but she called out regardless.

"H…h…help me" she barely whispered through clenched teeth, violent shivering punctuated every word.

* * *

As Oliver powered down the river he was aware of a numbness developing in his extremities. He struggled to maintain his focus as his energy was leeched into the water around him but he didn't have time to worry about that while he searched for Felicity, she was his priority.

If he'd have blinked he would have missed it, he heard a strangled cry nearby and halted, treading water his wide blue eyes scanned the water.

Relying heavily on sound he finally located Felicity, catching sight of her golden hair darkened by the icy water which soaked it. Nothing could have stopped him from reaching her once he had eyes on her, he surged forward, not cold, nor current or even the persistent numbness enveloping his limbs would hinder him.

"Felicity…a..are you h..hurt?" he choked as he reached her tiny shivering form. He pressed her body to himself relief washing over him, one hand wrapped firmly around her waist and one on the back of her head gently pressing it to his shoulder and for a moment they became calm, drawing strength from their watery reunion.

Felicity wrenched her arms from her shivering body and slid them around his waist, she shivered against him and allowed herself to be held, to be taken in, the fragile walls she had erected around her full heart came crashing down in his arms, she closed her eyes committing this feeling to memory. Oliver Queen, holding off the icy depths which threatening to swallow her with his broad shoulders and firm hold.

He pulled back looking at her face, concern in his piercing eyes but a gentle smile on his lips. He was trying to encourage her; she managed a brief shivering smile in return before her blue lips protested.

"We…we're g..going t..to swim d..down river d..diagonally towards the sh..shore ok?" Oliver managed, with considerable effort. Felicity's eyes met his and she drew courage from them.

"Y..yes" she nodded stiffly, pride displaced the concern in his eyes and they lingered on hers a moment longer before purpose took over. Felicity's practically hypothermic limbs made it necessary for him to assist her. In one fluid movement he turned her to face upriver, his right arm came under hers and across her chest, hand resting firmly on her left shoulder. He pressed her to his chest gently, muscles tight, keeping her afloat and steady. He used his left arm and the current to guide them towards the shore and, hopefully, help.

Felicity rested her stiff arms on his forearm and wished she had the energy to give him a reassuring squeeze. She allowed her body to relax and tried to maintain her grasp on rational thought, she focused her numbed mind on his laboured breaths, once again allowing the rhythm of their bodies to fall in sync.


	3. Waterlogged Symphony

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Oliver's overburdened muscles throbbed and protested as the cold claimed them inch by inch, icy water surged past his quivering lips threatening to choke him, each watery breath weaker than the last. He was painfully aware of how quiet Felicity had become, the only sign of life coming from her shivering arms pressed delicately against his forearm. Her shivering increased the panic which had taken root in the pit of his stomach and drove him forward.

Even using the current, his progression towards the river bank was slow and laborious; it was an eternity before he felt the reassuring pressure of earth underneath his aching feet. His first attempt at standing brought them both crashing down as his traitorous legs turned to jelly; the water softened his fall somewhat but caused another violent tremor to rack his body.

He resorted to crawling up the bank, hauling Felicity behind him, conscious of the rocky surface raking at their skin with every movement, despite that he was glad to have released them from the rivers icy hold.

He collapsed onto the shore gasping for air, lungs burning and muscles tightening, overexerted and aching. His cheek rested on the rocks below, he couldn't bring himself to move despite the uncomfortable surface he'd found himself on. Felicity was on her back, sleepy eyes drinking in the stars which beheld their sodden shaking bodies.

Oliver curled his body and forced his weary knees to take his weight, not finding it in himself to care when the stones bit into his flesh, he moved his sluggish right arm to Felicity's shoulder. Her arms were pressed tightly to her chest, her white blouse darkened by the muddy waters and spots of blood oozing from abrasions on her hands and back, it hung limply over her once vibrant pencil skirt and seemed to belittle her already tiny figure.

It was no wonder she had struggled to swim so much with that skirt restricting movement above the knees. He let his eyes wander over her, scanning for serious injuries and noting how frail and lifeless she looked.

"A..are y..you j..just g..gun..gunna st..stare at m..me, w..while we f..freeze to de..death?" Felicity shuddered. "N..not th..that I m..m..mind you st..staring…I'm j..just c..cc..cold".

Oliver smiled; even half frozen and waterlogged she was adorable. He turned to study the bank behind them, they weren't in a residential area but Oliver spied a few shops over the silent road which ran alongside the river. All he had to do was reach those shops and they would be saved.

He tested his legs and found that with considerable effort he could stand, it was like he was learning to walk again, legs feeling alien and unnatural, they didn't respond to his commands and it was almost impossible to carry himself in a straight line, even without the stones underfoot providing such a shaky purchase.

He cast his gaze over Felicity, there was no way he'd be able to move her in this state, he was struggling just to move himself let alone her.

"I..I'm g..going to g..get h..help" he managed.

"I'll b..be qu..quick".

"I tr..trust you" Felicity breathed. It was quick and to the point, she had said exactly what Oliver needed to hear to drive himself forward, his heart ached and a worried knot gathered in his stomach nausea washed over him and he pushed it down, focussing on his objective.

He pictured her wrapped up safe and warm in his bed, a woolly hat pulled over her flaxen hair, tiny figure dwarfed by one of his sweaters, hot chocolate in hand and a sufficiently cheesy movie on the TV with her head, ever so gently, pressed to his chest. The image presented itself unbidden and took him completely by surprise, something inside his chest twinged with an unfamiliar longing, the thought both warmed and frightened him.

His sluggish mind was assaulting him with desires he had hidden safely and discretely in the back of his mind, kept there with sturdy walls erected by fear, doubt and the stubborn refusal to allow himself the things he desired. He couldn't allow himself to fall for someone so innocent for fear she would be swallowed up in the darkness which surrounded him.

He shook his head to rid himself of the image and derail that dangerous train of thought; this was literally _the _worst moment to be wrestling with his feelings for Felicity. As he reached the road he clocked the gas station to his right and a Chinese takeaway to his left, which looked questionable at best.

He considered the sight he must've been as he crashed through the glass doors of the gas station begging for help soaked to the bone and shivering.

The store worker rushed forward, eyes wide, clearly startled by the dramatic turn his night had just taken.

"Oh my God dude are you ok?"

"My f..friend, she's ou..out there…please" he begged, the worker guided Oliver into a back room and let him slide down by a warm radiator, another patron rushed in with a blanket they had kept in the back of their car for emergencies.

Oliver was instructed to remove his wet clothes before the worker ran out to fetch Felicity.

* * *

Solomon Izibor was having a bad day. He loved his job, lived for it even, but restrictions were something he was not accustomed to.

_Abduct Oliver Queen and his Executive Assistant and return them, unharmed, at half past midnight. _

It was the most ridiculous thing he had ever been asked to do, completely pointless, but the obscene amount of money he had been offered was enough to bring him around. He had been offered a substantial bonus by the woman on the other end of the phone to ensure they were unharmed upon their return. In light of this detail he had hired some muscle to do the actual abducting, he wasn't sure if he could restrain himself, killing was more his forte not babysitting billionaires.

The abduction had, apparently, gone very smoothly, he met his goons at 5 o'clock sharp in a quiet part of the Glades for the exchange. He observed as a young blonde woman was slung over the man's shoulder and carried effortlessly to the boot of the car he had rented to contain them for the next few hours.

She was pretty; as she was tossed into the trunk with considerable force he took the opportunity to move his gaze over her exquisite form. He wordlessly appraised her while her boss was being heaved over, apparently billionaire CEOs weighed a lot.

"You want him in there too?" a gruff voice enquired.

Irritation clouded Solomon's deep mahogany eyes, his intense gaze bored holes through the man carrying his target.

"Yes" the word cut through the menacing atmosphere communicating both acknowledgement of the question and the threat of consequence if any more had to be asked.

The billionaire's broad body was heaved on top of his Executive Assistant, it was quite the sight to behold, her tiny form was hardly visible underneath him. The trunk was slammed shut and Solomon initiated the second phase of their abduction.

He was curious to know why someone would abduct the Executive Assistant of a billionaire alongside the man himself, but restraining his inquisitive nature was one of the reasons why he was considered the best in the business.

His specialty was staging 'accidents' for people, a nosy neighbour here, a corrupt politician there it was all just business. In fact this was his first job after which the victims would walk away unscathed, his plan was to keep them locked safely in the boot of a rental car until the allocated time had passed and then call in an anonymous tip to the police clean and simple. He had one of his hired men drive the car down to a quiet street by the Starling River.

He followed behind in a separate vehicle, anxious to avoid any direct contact with what would later be considered a crime scene, self-preservation was a must in this line of work. He watched as his man parked in the location and he settled himself on a nearby rooftop; he couldn't risk them being found early and, ever the perfectionist, he had to see his plan out to completion personally.

Around 12 o'clock Solomon noticed movement coming from inside the car, rather vigorous movement actually.

"What the hell" he leaned over the edge getting a better look. With a violent jerk he saw the car roll forward, hesitate for a second and then begin to roll down the hill it had been perched on.

"No, no, no, no NO!" He took off running down the winding stairs of the building he'd been perched on all evening and flew out of the side door.

He reached the top of the slope in time to see his vehicle launch itself off the bank and into the Starling City River. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him towards the dark water, if the Queen brat and his Assistant didn't make it he was going to end up on the wrong side of a very dangerous woman.

He watched in horror as the car slipped under, bubbles frantically rushing to the surface. His mind raced, he needed to decide on a course of action, he could run, no. He's the best in the business and running would jeopardise both his reputation and life. He needed to face the situation head on, maybe…

The sound of someone breaking the surface interrupted his thoughts, he looked up and saw Queen take a breath and begin scanning the water around him. He was being carried downstream quickly, at least the billionaire hadn't drowned, now he just needed the assistant to miraculously make it and he could get back on track.

He moved back from the edge to avoid catching Queen's eye and started to jog downstream; Queen's assistant was much smaller than him and would, no doubt, be swept down the river faster. Perhaps if he could locate her and get her help then the pair could be rescued and returned to their lives safely, and he would still be able to end the day a much wealthier man.

It wasn't long before the sight of Queen's waterlogged assistant caught Solomon's gaze at last. He let out a deep sigh of relief, which quickly turned to worry as he saw that she was struggling just to keep her head up. Apparently she was never a swimmer, she barely had her head above the water before she was under again, swept downstream like a piece of driftwood.

"Ol…Oliver…" she choked out, Solomon felt his stomach turn, she was going to drown soon taking his money to the depths of that river with her.

He cursed moving towards the water, he was removing his coat when Queen came charging towards her, he was unbelievably agile for someone so bulky. As he reached his pretty little assistant Solomon stepped back again observing their efforts.

He watched them pull themselves up onto the shore and noted how cold they appeared.

His phone buzzed in his pocket drawing his eyes away from the struggling pair.

"Yes?" he snapped.

"Mr Queen and his assistant were supposed to be back half an hour ago." The steely voice replied.

"We ran into some complications" he admitted reluctantly.

"I need them back here safely; tonight otherwise this was entirely pointless. Have them back within the hour or the deal is off" she barked before disconnecting.

"Murder is so much easier than kidnapping" he muttered to himself. Glancing back towards the river bank.

* * *

"F…Felicity Sm…Sm…Smoak" Felicity muttered towards the stars, she was struggling to maintain control of her mind and had to keep reminding herself who she was. The name sounded strange as it rolled off her tongue, it was messy, a wave breaking over her shivering blue lips.

"I w..was under Ol..Oliver Qu…Queen today" she spluttered making herself laugh as the image of them pressed together in that trunk filled her mind.

"Ol-i-ver" she hummed remembering the musical she had cherished as a child.

"N..no one's m..missing m..me" she said hesitantly, searching through her foggy memories trying to confirm or deny the statement, a tear slipped down her cheek unbidden.

She had just begun to hum 'Careless Whisper' to herself when footfalls above her head disturbed her reverie.

"George Michael?" A male voice boomed over her. "Jesus you really are in trouble".

"Come on sweetheart, let's get you warmed up" sturdy arms slipped under her lifting her away from her rocky resting place. As she was pressed to his chest she turned inwards greedily seeking the warmth radiating from him.

"I…I'm an IT g…girl" she shivered into his chest. She was met with a gruff chuckle which shook her in his arms.

"And what was an IT girl doing swimming in the Starling City River at 1 o'clock in the morning"

"Drowning" she spoke into him now, as if the words were meant for his heart rather than his ears.

"Serves you right for listening to George Michael" he teased. "N..no it w..was an ac..accident."

They stopped suddenly, Felicity heard another voice but didn't bother to look up, the icy waters had drawn every care out of her and left her unfazed by being carried somewhere by a perfect stranger.

The arms around her tensed for a moment drawing her gaze upwards, the man holding her was dark skinned, short black stubble caressed his chin and ran up his cheek connecting with his hairline. He had long dark dreadlocks which were currently tied back behind his head. His jawline was strong and physique muscular, not unlike Oliver's, perhaps that's why she felt so at home in his arms.

His brow was furrowed and irritation clouded his mahogany eyes as he regarded whomever he was speaking with. He shifted suddenly and Felicity was being thrust into the arms of another man who, clearly, wasn't ready to receive her, her legs thudded to the ground upper half barely being supported by the new man.

She watched as her original rescuer stormed away, fists clenched and then forced her legs to move as she was escorted slowly into a dingy gas station. He smelled of sweat, she tried to ignore the pungent aroma snaking up her nostrils, which is difficult when you're relying on the owner of the smell to help you walk, it overwhelmed her and brought on a wave of nausea.

"Felicity?" She heard Oliver's urgent voice before she saw him; he was wrapped in a thick blanket and shivering in the corner of what appeared to be an office of sorts.

"Ol…Oliver" she sighed, the relief evident as she moved towards him.

"You need to remove your clothes to warm up." He handed her a blanket and hesitated for a moment watching her fail to coordinate her hands and fingers.

"Do…do you need help?" his voice was soft and his eyes met hers in a brief moment of tender regard, unspoken intimacy passing between them.

"I th..thought y..you'd n..never ask" her eyes widened "I…I mean…" the words died on her lips as Oliver's hands gently grasped her blouse and lifted it, eyes never leaving hers. He slid the zip down on her skirt and then turned away as Felicity slipped out of it.

He handed her another blanket and opened his revealing the chest she had so often gazed at during his workout sessions in the Foundry. She paused a moment, her stomach doing backflips, did he mean for her to…?

"Body heat" Oliver stated reading her mind, his mouth turned upwards in an affectionate smile. "It's the best way for us to get warm fast".

She didn't need any more convincing than that and she moved towards him, his arms enveloped her pulling her shivering form gently to his chest, he leaned back and Felicity settled against him, one arm winding around his waist resting on the small of his back and the other pressed against his right pectoral muscle by her head.

The icy skin of her stomach and chest sent shivers down his spine as it touched his, his right hand rested against her head and his left was gently moving in circles against her waist, her blanket being the only barrier between his hand and her skin.

Felicity's eyes closed and she concentrated on the warmth which was steadily returning to both of their tired bodies. Her thoughts gradually became more lucid and the intimacy of their situation struck her, it was completely devoid of sexual energy.

This was intimate but innocent, their exhausted bodies communicating warmth and peace as they rested against each other. Vulnerable and shaking they anchored each other in the present, both silently, secretly committing this moment to memory, the feeling of holding one another, the way it felt so _right_.

Felicity's mind went quiet, the steady thrumming of Oliver's heart lulling it into a restful silence.

She imagined falling asleep to this rhythm every night, being tangled in one another, his lips pressed to her head, legs entwined under the warm duvet entrusting herself to the contours of his body.

She wanted that. She wanted it so much her chest ached, she held him tighter and feeling his responding pressure sent a wave of euphoria through her body, in that moment, despite the events of the previous hours, she could truly say she felt a contentment she never had before.

Her hands started to throb as the feeling returned to them. She reluctantly drew them away from Oliver's body and looked at them for the first time since her rescue, what she saw made her gasp.

Oliver shifted beneath her. "Felicity?" his sleepy eyes met hers and she lifted her hands up so he could see the deep ragged gashes running down them, they were a furious red and spots of blood had begun oozing from them as it pumped back into her extremities.

His hand moved from her head and to her hands tracing the lines of broken skin carefully.

"You must've cut them getting out of the car" her eyes shifted to his hands and she saw that his were damaged too, although less dramatically, apparently he'd had the foresight to take some measures against the jagged glass which had lined the frame she grasped in her panic.

"You're going to need stitches" his brow furrowed and his fingers ran over her palm tenderly, his intense eyes taking in every detail of her tiny hand.

Her breath caught as his touch swept over her fingers, the throbbing remained but did nothing to quell the bolts of electricity which now accompanied it. Her heart ached; she closed her eyes and allowed her tired mind to focus on the touch of his scabrous fingers as they ran up and down her hand.

The door to their little hideaway swung open, a resounding crack tearing them from their brief moment of shared intimacy. Paramedics rushed in and pried them from one another ushering them out and into an ambulance, it was a blur of questions and tests. She missed her glasses, their absence made it difficult for her to recognize and navigate her way through the hospital even with a nurse escorting her.

It was only after their arrival and treatment at the hospital that Felicity allowed her mind to go over the events of the previous day. She lay staring up at the white ceiling, snuggling up in the uncomfortable, but oh so warm, hospital blankets and she remembered the man who had taken her from the river bank.

She remembered his face and the way he had tensed up when the gas station worker had approached him. Her brow furrowed and her stomach churned as she considered the strangeness of his behaviour, a small wave of panic washed over her as she wondered where he had been trying to take her and why he had disappeared so abruptly.


End file.
